Governor's action

Governor Jay Inslee issued a proclamation on June 26, declaring a state of emergency to exist in all

Washington state counties, implementing the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency

Management Plan, and ordering deployment of National Guard and other organized militia for

incident-related service assistance, all because of the predicted risk of wildfires in the wake of

significantly drier-than-average weather in June.[11][12] The Commissioner of Public Lands Peter J.

Goldmark, head of the Washington Department of Natural Resources, issued an updated burn

ban to the one issued June 22, as the earlier ban was superseded by the Governor's proclamation.

The Commissioner's prohibition of campfires in state forests, state parks and state forestlands until

September 30, 2015, was issued June 26, 2015.[11][13]

Sleepy Hollow Fire

The season began unprecedentedly early with the Sleepy Hollow Fire on June 28, affecting the city

of Wenatchee in Chelan County, Washington. It burned 2,950 acres, destroying 29 homes and

several commercial buildings.[14] The cause of the fire is under investigation but is "likely human-

caused".[15] Officials said the fire's unusual intensity was caused by drought and record high

temperatures.[16] As a safety precaution, officials banned Fourth of July fireworks in many parts of the

state.[17]

July

By July 12, over 16,000 acres had burned, including a single fire near Ephrata, in Grant County, that

had burned at least 10,000 acres.[18] Later in the month, another major fire was triggered by farm

equipment near Walla Walla and burned more than 6,000 acres over two weeks.[19]